Trystram Menhinick’s solo exhibition brings together powerful yet poignant images from Salford. His paintings observe the lives of people around him, exploring the dual interplay between their sensitivity and their strength.

PERCEPTION represents over 7 years of Menhinick’s work. Such is his popularity many pieces have been withheld from sale or brought from private collections to make up the exhibition.

“I have a sincere interest in people. The differing experiences of the internal and external are cause for the main focus of my work in this exhibition. A person’s public façade and their contrasting internal state.

Trystram Menhinick – All Your Dreams

The difference between a person’s thoughts and what they share are often the source of much misunderstanding, conflict, separation and hurt. At the same time that difference can be a by-product of protection; where to share would cause pain or difficulty with others. There are a myriad of reasons people internalise experiences, the noble or the painful, through misunderstanding or confusion, embarrassment or strength.

Trystram Menhinick – Holidays in the Sun

Different cultures have differing approaches to this discord. The north of England has a quiet reserve and a reluctance to intrude on another person’s private mental space. As a result the people develop an internal strength and carry their personal issues largely in silence. There is a durable bravery to it that goes mainly uncelebrated. It was this that provided the focus for the work in this exhibition.

Trystram Menhinick – Son

In my experience, it has been the existence of this collectively held unspoken understanding that represents a core foundation of what defines us. Coupled with a cynical view, a rejection of pretence and a desire that anything created be sincere, it goes a long way to making us what we are.

Trystram Menhinick – Silent Guidance

Although this internal isolation may not be ideal in an emotionally evolved society, it has been the source of much inspiration, generation after generation. The amount of creative contributions this region has made to the world, compared to the size of its population has been staggeringly disproportionate. It illustrates both sides of the point. Things are rarely all good or bad. Without discord there can be no resolution, without difficulty nothing can be overcome, and maybe without this emotionally backward collective silence, we wouldn’t have half the wonderful things the north has produced.” Trystram Menhinick